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[Alex W]

I thought I'd do some "simple" servicing this morning. Top up the autobox and change the oil and filter. Straighforward enough you'd think, especially with the excellent guides here on the forum.

But, try as I might, I couldn't get the sump plug to budge at all, now the corners of the nut have rounded off. Bugger.

And could I get the cap off the oil filter housing? Could I ***k. Two hours of grovelling around under the car for nothing.

Anyone got any tips for solving these problems or do I have to surrender the car to my local garage and pay up?

Thanks in advance.

[same #same#]

if you run engine of a bit get oil nice and warm should make it easyer to get bolt out, well undun, few taps with hammer should knock it free not hard just taps.

[Elite Pete]

If you have a nut and the alloy filter housing, someone has been messing around with the sump plug. I would get a good secondhand sump before trying to undo it, that way you wont be left without a car. To undo the filter cap, put a filter chain or strap on the filter housing body to stop it turning then a socket on a bar on the cap

[Alex W]

I have a 13mm sump plug and a paper oil filter inside a capped housing. I have bought the part to convert it to a cannister oil filter but obviously I've got to get the old one off first. One problem is that my trolley jack is too short which means I can't lift the car high enough to free my arms and get the leverage I need.

I may do a complete gearbox flush (its overdue anyway), it should be easier to get the sump plug out on the bench.

[Alex W]

I just realised that I'm causing confusion. Its the autobox sump plug that won't shift and has/had a 13mm head (partially rounded now).

The engine oil sump plug looked like a torx type.

[VXL V6]

That's the level plug, you can't drain the fluid out of it, the idea is that you fill the box from there with the engine running while priming each of the gears. They can be torqued up incredibly tight from the factory but do budge with a decent bar.

[Alex W]

Like I said above , I was gonna top up the autobox but couldn't get the plug out, now its rounded off.

[VXL V6]

Would a decent pair of grips work?  :-/

[Alex W]

I just bought a bolt and nut remover set, we'll see how that goes when it arrives.